Can Cancer Drugs Help Reduce Women’s Monthly Sufferings?

Endometriosis is a debilitating condition characterized by premenstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain). It affects nearly 1.5 million women in the UK.

It is a disorder wherein a tissue that normally lines the uterus (womb) grows outside the uterus. It is one of the leading causes of infertility in women. Scientists have discovered that endometriosis cells behave similar to cancer cells. They hope to exploit this and make use of cancer drugs to treat endometriosis.

The pain is excruciating, as the tissue is expelled during the menstruation every month, but finds no place to go. This triggers inflammation, leading to the development of scar tissue that adheres to internal organs, inducing severe pain. If the tissue forms around the reproductive organs, a woman suffers from infertility.

Drugs containing hormones help reduce the levels of oestrogen (a female sexual hormone that triggers endometriosis), but this can cause menopause-like adverse effects. Surgical interventions can help cut or burn the tissue, but the recurrence rate is high.

Out of desperation, some women opt for hysterectomy (removal of uterus), but even this does not solve the issue permanently.

A new option may be on the cards with the discovery that endometriosis cells behave similar to cancer cells, opening the window of opportunity to use cancer drugs to treat endometriosis.

Scientists have done a lot of research and tests with promising results. They claim that they can change the endometriosis cell back to the normal cells with cancer drugs. The treatment may be given as an oral tablet on a daily basis, or in the form of vaginal ring or coil that releases small amount of the drug directly into the tissue.

A prominent expert says that endometriosis cells do behave like a cancer cells. They spread around the body, invades and damages the local tissue. However, he says that this is an early stage research and it is important to conduct more studies.

To know more about cancer drugs and treatments, you can seek medical help through an online doctor service, PharmaDoctor, associated with Pharmacy Outlet.